Our 'creative side'

Christmas is often a time of year when people’s creative side emerges. You see it in decoration, how gifts are handled and in all the baking and cooking that goes into its celebration. Have you ever stopped to think about where this ‘creative streak’ comes from? 

If you accept the theory of evolution you might think of all kinds of adaptive reasons for its development. I am not going to enter into any debate around that. As Christian, I believe we are creative because we are made in the image of God, however that occurred. God is creative. Most religions of the world believe that. We might say that’s why the whole universe is here, including us humans and the earth we live in. We have an account of creation in chapter one of our Judeo-Christian Old Testament.

Can we answer our original question more easily if we understand why God is creative? Interestingly, I am not sure that question is answered anywhere in The Bible, at least not straightforwardly. But I have a theory.

We are told that God is Love. What is love? One could possibly give many answers to that question. For my argument here, I will propose that at least one element of love is that it is an outward directed ‘force,’ for want of a better word. We are also told that God is all about Relationship. Now, if you want relationship, you need something, someone, to relate to. Now, we believe God exists in a Trinity wherein there is a tripartite relationship between ‘Father,’ ‘Son,’ and ‘Holy Spirit.’ At the same time, we believe that is only one being. Still no ‘other’ to share that love with. Follow my train of thought?

Well, yes, he had apparently created angels. We do not know a lot about these beings. They are most often seen in the Judeo-Christian tradition as servants and messengers of God. Were they not enough? Maybe not. And why not? Could it have something to do with their freedom? It would seem from our limited attempts to explain the origins of evil that there was an angel who did appear to exercise some choice and rebel against God. We call him Satan, the Devil, the Evil One, or, in more charitable moments, considering his origins, Lucifer, the Angel of Light. But we also speak of God as Light. But I digress, somewhat.

God had a plan. He has all kinds of plans. He created the universe and our earth in it, populated it with untold varieties of flora and fauna, not to mention the beautiful landscapes and seascapes, the skies. God is Good, so, naturally, everything he was created he saw as good. However, something was missing. When we love, do we not yearn for someone to receive our love, ideally to love us back. Why, that idea was even popularized in a Jefferson Airplanehit song in the 60’s, “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love?” After all, relationships are not a one-way street. That is not selfish. We realize, even scientifically now, it is essential for our health, our survival. All of what he had created from Days 1-5 was unable to reciprocate that love satisfactorily. 

Do we not love best when the other is like us? God’s solution was to create beings into whom he personally breathed the breath of life. Furthermore, we are told, he created them – us – in his image. Ergo, we are creative because God is creative.

So, why do we create? Do we not have a compulsion, a drive to do so? At least if we are healthy enough. And do we not do so because we enjoy it? Do we not like ‘the fruit of our labours?’ Just as God liked and called good all of his creation. 

However, there is more to this. I don’t believe we can separate these characteristics of person we have been talking about – love, reciprocity or relationship, creativity. Ultimately, we create because we want someone else to enjoy it. As I said with relation to our Creator, that is not selfish. Yes, in our imperfection, we have often made it less than what it should or could be. That means some of us seem happy to keep it all to ourselves, for a variety of reasons. Others are so starved for attention and acceptance, approval, they go overboard in trying to gain that for their creativity from others. Notice how relationship is tied in with this.

Also, I believe, in our imperfection, we often create things which are not good. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

For most of us, who enjoy the creative process and feel compelled to create, we want to share our creativity with others. Does true sharing not come from love? See, again, how the strands of God and personality are inseparable?

So, does this help explain more about what we are about when we create? It’s a lot more than just wanting that ‘Like’ on Facebook, isn’t it?